Kim Jones, Silvia Venturini Fendi, and Donatella Versace made history as the three had swapped houses for one night only to design 25 looks for each other. The collaborative event took place in Versace’s headquarters in Via Gesù in Milan, Italy.
Entitled “VERSACE BY FENDI — FENDI BY VERSACE,” Jones and Venturini Fendi designed Versace’s men’s and womenswear lines respectively, while Donatella had reinterpreted Fendi’s looks. “It’s a first in the history of fashion. A true creative dialogue that stems from respect and friendship,” said Versace.
Jones also chimed in, explaining how the collaboration came to be. “In February after the ready-to-wear show we came to dinner here with Donatella,” he said. “Silvia and Donatella got on really well, and we thought it would be nice to have some fun. It was a design-off: we designed Versace and she designed Fendi. Remember these two houses are not in the same group: we’ve just done it as friends, and out of respect for each other. It’s never been planned as a commercial thing.”
Opened by the legendary model Kristen McMenamy in an all-black safety-pinned look, the first half of the show also saw fellow icons Amber Valletta, Kate Moss, and Naomi Campbell strut down the catwalk.
For the first half, Versace by Fendi, classic looks from Versace’s archives were reworked to include Fendi’s iconic double FFs, with the Italian house’s Grecian motif plastered over bomber jackets, and mini dresses.
As Jones came out to take his bow at the end of the first 25 looks, the Medusa faced panels embedded in the foliage walls of the fashion space swivelled to reveal Fendi’s logo and thus began part two of the show.
In contrast, Versace took an edgier approach in designing for Fendi. Using chain mail with lace and crystal-encrusted F’s, the iconic designer reimagined the brand’s monogram. Her looks included short minis covered in the Fendi logo, mesh dresses, a 70s denim pantsuit with bell bottoms, and her take on evening gowns.
Off the runway, numerous notable celebrities were in attendance including Dua Lipa, Evan Mock, Winnie Harlow, to Gigi Hadid. A night to remember for sure, the fans can only wonder what’s next for the fashion world.
Elsewhere in fashion news, New York’s biggest fashion event — the Met Gala — was recently held once again after a hiatus last year due to Covid-19. It held many firsts for the fashion industry, from Gen Z co-hosts to sponsorship by Instagram. The sponsorship was of particular note, as it provided unprecedented fan access and was deemed as a step towards democratising fashion.
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